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Monday, March 6, 2017

New plans

Hi, family and friends. Steve here with an update. As some
of you know, Gabrielle has been having worsening symptoms for the past month
with more stomach pain, back pain, loss of appetite, and more. It got
even worse while we were on vacation on Maui last week. So bad, in fact,
that we tried to get an early flight out of there just to get back home, which
is the only place you want to be when you don't feel good. Gotta
feel pretty lousy if you can't wait to leave paradise, don't you think?

Anyhow, while we languished in the Pacific, doing our best to make the
most of our forced exile, Gabrielle was in contact with her doctors back home. They arranged for her to have some tests the
moment she got back. We got in late last
Thursday, rolling home after midnight.
Six hours later, it was time to get up and head down for an endoscopy
(“upper GI” study) to be followed shortly afterwards by a CT scan to see what
could be causing her symptoms.

I spoke with the GI doctor just after the test and it was pretty good:
no ulcers or significant findings. We
had a nervous time over the weekend, waiting for her appointment at 8:00 this
morning to go over the CT scan results with her cancer doctor. Unfortunately, the results were less than
favorable. In a nutshell, the cancer has
spread to the liver with at least three new spots that were not there on the
scan in late December. Several lymph
nodes in the abdomen have gotten larger as well and appear to be compressing some
of the important structures in the area such as the main vein that enters the
liver (portal vein). Doctor said that
this could also be causing “gastric outlet syndrome” in which she is hungry,
but the food just doesn’t leave the stomach all that easily. Can also account for all the horrible back
and abdominal pain she has been having.

So, in clinical terms, the cancer is progressing and clearly the two
medications she had been on since the first of the year weren’t doing a lick of
good. Treatment of cancer involves trial
and error. Some drugs are winners, and
some are not. New plan is to step things
up to a much more aggressive approach with weekly chemotherapy which starts
tomorrow. Plan is to get two drugs:
Taxol (the one which makes your hair fall out) and Avastin. Had labs today to make sure that her blood
counts are good enough to get Taxol, which we are hoping for, as this is the
cancer fighting component of her new treatment.
Avastin is supposed to cut off the blood supply to the cancer cells, but
doesn’t have any cancer killing properties of its own. She has had both medications before. We are a little nervous about the Avastin as
that’s the one that has a potential side effect of bowel rupture, which is
potentially life threatening, but we do not have a whole lot of other options
at this point.

Doctor said she had been in contact with our insurance company (Regence,
not like I’m naming any names or anything) and they are being downright
persnickety about approving the Avastin, unless it is combined with the
Taxol. So far, so good, since she is
supposed to get the Taxol as well, but the concerning thing is that if she
can’t get the Taxol due to low counts, they may not approve Avastin by
itself. When the doctor told us about
this, she said it was infuriating that they would not approve it, and plans to
go toe to toe with them soon. She is,
after all, the expert’s expert on ovarian cancer treatment, not the insurance
companies. We are confident that things
will work out such that Gabrielle will get the drugs, but it is still very
frustrating to deal with insurance issues in the midst of all this. Having said that, am thankful for the
insurance that we do have.

This is all quite an adjustment for
us, to see such rapid change in the CT scan and see such worsening symptoms in
such a short period of time. We are all
nervous about what lies ahead, but are confident that with God’s strength we
will weather the storms. His grace is
indeed sufficient. We appreciate your
kind thoughts, prayers, and support. It
looks like we are in for a bumpy ride ahead.

I will end by saying that this sad
news comes as a shock to all of us. It
also seems a tad incongruent in light of how good she looks. Time and again, people have commented on the
fact that she appears so healthy. This
is a testimony to her iron resolve and determination not to let the cancer
define her or bog her down. Being around
her a fair bit, I have been so impressed with how she has faced this cancer
from the very beginning with an attitude of strength, determination, and sheer
guts. She has never let the setbacks get
to her. She always has kind words and
smiles for the medical staff attending her, and thanks them for their service. She faces pain with a fortitude that I cannot
even begin to fathom. Her faith in God
and His providence and goodness is unwavering and an inspiration to us all. In short, she is my hero. As she goes into this next battle, I have no doubt
that she will continue with the same bravery and courage that she has demonstrated
all along.

Even now, as I am finishing this
little note, she is sitting across from me, reading passages to me from C.S.
Lewis’ Mere Christianity (phenomenal book by the way). She just hit on a passage about the contrast
between this life and the next being similar to the difference between cold
stone statues and the real living, breathing organisms that we all are. There is a hush about the sculptor’s studio
as there is a rumor that some of us statues are going to come to life some
day. That will indeed be a glorious day.

Maui, last week. People always say "You look so good!" which, of course, is nice to hear. But just like in much of life, what you see on the outside is not always reflective of what's going on on the inside of a person. Best to get beyond the surface if you really want to know what a person is going through and if you want to learn how best you can come alongside them in the journey.

9 comments:

I'm just at a loss for words. There in the middle of it all is Jesus, that I do know. Guiding us and loving us. I pray for the abundance of peace that comes through him, and that he enables you and the meds to kick this cancer out of your body.

Thank you, dear Becca! Your love and prayers mean the world to me, and you are my hero too!!! Even though the posts say published by Daniel, Steve wrote that one. We just have Daniel set up as administrator of the account. :-)Much love,Gabrielle

Dearest Xan, Thank you for this sweet post! I am in awe of you too, for with all the challenges you have faced in life, you have kept on going with inner strength and optimism that things will get better. Love you too, Sis!XOXO Gaby

Aloha My New Friend. Well it's time to fight again as only a woman with great love for a wonderful husband and children can. I know you have had to do it before, but I know you can do it again. You are a strong and brave warrior, like all of us who have had an intimate relationship with taxol; embrace that amazing drug as it attacks the cancer. You my love, deserve to win this fight, and even though I just met you, I am with you in spirit. If there is anything I can do for you, say the word. When you are ready to eat again I will send Chocolate macadamia nuts and pineapple. but first you have to fight. And eat lots of popsicles. Do they have head coolers there? They didn't in my day but I have read it can prevent hair loss, which might give you a psychological edge. And anything that works in your favor is a good thing.

Dear Joan, Yes, even though we just met in Maui, we are both survivors and had an instant connection. You made our time in Maui so special, despite the pain I was in. I am grateful for you, my new friend! We actually planted a Yew tree in our backyard the first time I was on Taxol, since the drug comes from the Yew tree. It is growing tall and healthy and beautiful and I look out my window at it with gratitude and somehow, a renewed energy to fight. Much love to you and great hope that we will meet again on the beautiful shores of Maui or if you ever make it out to Seattle! XOXOGabrielle

Thanks Steve for your update and the glorious photo. I'm sure this news is tough on everyone. Me too. I keep praying for relief and keep repeating Jos. 1-9. Our Lord is there by her side and yours - His strength will give you what you need to bear this new direction in Gabrielle's treatment. My love ❤️ to you all.